The Latest: Corbyn says he, prime minister halting campaigns
By Associated Press
May 23, 2017 12:07 AM CDT
FILE - In this Sept. 24, 2016 file photo, Ariana Grande performs at the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas. Police say there are "a number of fatalities" after reports of an explosion at an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena in northern England on Monday, May 22, 2017.. (Photo by John...   (Associated Press)

LONDON (AP) — The Latest on an explosion at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, that authorities say killed several people. (all times local):

6 a.m. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn says he and Prime Minister Theresa May have agreed to suspend election campaigning until further notice.

Corbyn said Tuesday he is "horrified" by the events in Manchester and that his thoughts are with the families and friends of those who have died and been injured.

Campaign events ahead of the June 8 general election will now be put on hold as Britain comes to grips with the incident and its aftermath.

Corbyn says he had spoken with May after the explosion. __

5:45 a.m.

Australia's prime minister has told the Australian Parliament that the deadly explosion at Manchester Arena appeared to be a "brutal attack on young people everywhere."

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Wednesday the British were treating the blast that killed at least 19 people and injured more than 50 as a terrorist attack, although its cause was unknown.

Turnbull says: "This incident, this attack, is especially vile, especially criminal, especially horrific because it appears to have been deliberately directed at teenagers."

He added: "This is an attack on innocents. Surely there is no crime more reprehensible than the murder of children. This is a direct and brutal attack on young people everywhere, on freedom everywhere."

He says Australian diplomats were working to discover if any victim was Australian.

In Tokyo, a spokesman for the Japanese government condemned the attack.

Yoshihide Suga, the government's chief cabinet secretary, says: "If this is a terrorist attack, such abhorrent acts of terrorism cannot be justified for any reason, and Japan firmly condemns such an act of terrorism. I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the victims and families of the deceased and my prayers to a swift recovery for the wounded. Japan stands in solidarity with the people of the U.K."

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4:00 a.m.

Campaigning has been suspended in Britain's national election after a deadly explosion at Manchester Arena.

Prime Minister Theresa May canceled campaign events Tuesday after the blast, which killed at least 19 people and injured more than 50. She is due to chair a meeting of the government's emergency committee, COBRA, later.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron cancelled a campaign tour to Gibraltar after the explosion, which police say they are treating as a terrorist attack.

Britons are due to go to the polls on June 8.

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3:45 a.m.

A number of Manchester taxi services say they are offering free rides to people trapped by the incident.

The taxi companies posted messages about the free rides on Twitter after an explosion at Manchester Arena after an Ariana Grande concert Monday night. The blast killed 19 people and injured dozens more.

The service could also be used by people trying to get to local hospitals to look for loved ones.

In addition some city residents opened their homes to provide overnight lodging for people who were stranded by the shutdown in some train services because of the incident.

City officials said the true spirit of Manchester was surfacing in the hours after the incident.

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3:35 a.m.

The Department of Homeland Security says there is no evidence of credible threats against music venues in the U.S., as England reels from an explosion at an Ariana Grande concert late Monday.

The department says the U.S. public may experience increased security in and around public places and events.

DHS says it is closely monitoring the situation at Manchester Arena and working with U.K. officials to obtain additional information about the cause of the explosion.

The government is urging U.S. citizens in Manchester to heed directions from local authorities and be vigilant about their security.

The explosion killed at least 19 people and injured dozens. Police say they are treating as a terrorist attack.

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3:20 a.m.

Frantic loved ones of young people missing after an explosion at an Ariana Grande concert have taken to Twitter and Instagram with their photos and pleas for help.

Many Manchester residents responded early Tuesday with offers of shelter and details on locations where displaced concert-goers had been taken in.

The 23-year-old Grande, true to her youthful fan base, is a social media phenomenon with 105 million followers on Instagram and 45.6 million followers on Twitter. Her fans, proud "Arianators," were among those who took to Twitter with prayers and tears.

Fellow stars offered condolences as well.

Taylor Swift tweeted, "My thoughts, prayers and tears for all those affected by the Manchester tragedy tonight. I'm sending all my love."

Ellie Goulding, Cher (fresh from a big night at the Billboard Awards) and Katy Perry were among others to tweet their support.

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3 a.m.

Greater Manchester Police say they are working with national police and intelligence agencies in what is being treated as a terrorist incident.

Police said Tuesday morning they are still gathering information about the incident and are setting up a telephone hot line to help people locate loved ones. Police said there are 19 confirmed deaths.

Authorities are also asking the public to stay away from the area around Manchester Arena where an explosion disrupted a crowded pop concert by American artist Ariana Grande.

The British government is planning an emergency Cabinet meeting for later Monday morning.

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2:45 a.m.

British Prime Minister Theresa May says the government is working to learn the full details of the blast that killed 19 people at an Ariana Grande concert Monday night.

May says the government is trying to establish "the full details of what is being treated by the police as an appalling terrorist attack."

She said her thoughts are with the victims and the families of those who have been affected.

The government is expected to call an emergency cabinet meeting to deal with the incident.

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1:20 a.m.

Greater Manchester Police say 19 people have been confirmed dead in an explosion at Manchester Arena that is being treated as a possible terrorist attack.

Police said roughly 50 people were injured. Police said the incident started at 10:35 Monday night at an Ariana Grande concert.

Emergency vehicles were on the scene helping the injured and bomb disposal units were later seen outside the venue.

There was mass panic after the explosion at the end of the concert, which was part of Grande's The Dangerous Woman Tour.

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1:05 a.m.

Bomb disposal units were seen at Manchester Arena after an explosion during an Ariana Grande concert.

They were called after reports of an explosion that police said caused fatalities.

There were few immediate details and trains into the area were suspended.

A representative of Grande's US record label says the singer is OK and they are investigating what happened.

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11:55 p.m.

Police says there are "a number of fatalities" after reports of an explosion at an Ariana Grande concert in northern England.

Police advised the public to avoid the area around the Manchester Arena Monday night.

There were no immediate details of what happened during the concert by the American singer.

Video from inside the arena showed concertgoers screaming as they made their way out amid a sea of pink balloons.

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